Seeing the culmination of artistic effort is always an exciting thing. For developers, for actors, for players, and for many others, seeing the end result and experiencing it for oneself can be thrilling. The culmination of all that inFinal Fantasy 16is the players getting to enjoy the combined development efforts of Square Enix, the performances put on for the actors, and more. It seems safe to say that Clive would not be Clive without Ben Starr, Barnabas would not be Barnabas without David Menkin, andDion would not be Dion without Stewart Clarke.
However, it’s also often the case that players will enjoy these narratives in different ways, with different interpretations. In fact, while Clarke recently discussedhis interpretation ofFinal Fantasy 16’s Dominant of Bahamut Dion Lesagewith Game Rant, he also confirmed he does not have a PS5 to play the title. Interestingly enough, just as Dion connects with many figures throughout the game, Clarke has used this as an opportunity to connect with those who are playing it.
RELATED:Final Fantasy 16 Shares One Risky Trait With Its Demo
Because Clarke doesn’t have a PlayStation 5–though he admitsFinal Fantasy 16might be a system seller for him– he had to find another way to witness Dion’s story for himself and has done so through various streamers playing the game.
“I’ll be honest straight off the bat, I don’t currently have a PS5, so I haven’t been able to play it! I’ve been watching the story unfold via streamers (shout out to Esfand, Hollow and RogersBase who I watched most of it through). It was almost more fun doing it that way as I was able to experience all the gut-wrenching story beats with the streamers and their chat which was great fun!”
Watching streams of gamesbrings another dimension to how they’re experienced. It allows those who enjoy a game to share the experience with the broader community that forms around that game. Moreover, for creative influences on a game, it gives the ability to watch in real-time how their work is received by members of their audience. And according to Clarke, audiences have had glowing reactions to Dion.
“It’s been wonderful to hear about how many people have connected with Dion, in all his complexities. He’s a true tragic hero, and it’s been incredibly exciting to receive so many messages about how touched or affected people have been by his arc in the game! As I thought when reading the script, he’s a character who suggests a rich history even in the limited time we spend with him. If enough people care about him, maybe we’ll get to see more of it! Here’s looking at Square Enix, ha!”
Undeniably, Dion is a compelling character. He’s selfless and good-hearted almost to a fault, as he oftenprimes into Bahamutwithout concern for the toll doing so takes on his health. He wants what’s best for his people, and that sparks a strong internal conflict around the way his father changes over the course of his life. Though he loves Terence, Clarke says Dion is wedded to the people of Sanbreque. Dion’s exciting connections to other characters and his compelling yet tragic redemption arc are also no doubt a big piece of the puzzle when it comes to the character’s success with fans. But part of that support undoubtedly comes fromDion’s role as the first openly gay main character in aFinal Fantasytitle. Inhabiting that watershed role meant a lot to Clarke.
“[It was] an enormous honor and a tremendous responsibility. I was so excited reading the script to portray this aspect of Dion and to treat it with the respect and truth I wanted to bring to the rest of the role. Dion is not defined by his sexuality, but it is an undeniable part of him, and his relationship with Terence is another heartbreaking example of Dion’s ability to put others above himself and his own happiness. It’s so exciting and important to have characters like Dion, who are not coded, where their sexuality is not ‘up for interpretation’, it’s simply a fact. Everyone deserves to be seen in the media they enjoy.”
Beyond streaming, Clarke hopes to foster more community interaction with fans and has a specific request for artists in theFinal Fantasy 16community.
“I just wish we’d seen semi-primed Dion Bahamut form at some point,” he said. “Fan artists, hit me with your interpretations!”
MORE:10 Twitch Streamers To Watch If You Love Horror Games
